ExpoProducción Debuts In Mexico

ExpoProducción will present the latest products, services and technologies to suppliers in the apparel, home textiles and technical textiles sectors in Mexico and Central America.

TW Special Report

Atlanta-based trade show producer and organizer Clarion Events North America Inc. is launching
ExpoProducción, a trade show focused on serving the complete supply chain in Mexico and Central
America for the production of apparel, home textiles and technical textiles. ExpoProducción will be
held annually at the World Trade Center in Mexico City, with the inaugural show taking place
Wednesday through Friday, February 6-8, 2013. The show is supported by the Cámara Nacional de la
Industria del Vestido (CANAINVE); Clover, S.C.-based Synthetic Yarn and Fiber Association;
Washington-based National Council of Textile Organizations; Textile World and its sister
publication Textiles Panamericanos; and MexCostura, a magazine covering apparel, textiles and
fashion in Mexico and Central America.

(Top to bottom): Products to be presented at ExpoProducción include fabrics for automotive
interiors, yarn machinery and sewing equipment, among other products.

"This show will be the only one of its kind in Mexico and will focus on delivering superior
value and assistance to the garment and sewn products manufacturing market in this important and
growing region," said David Audrain, president, Clarion Events North America. "Mexico City is not
only the heart of Mexico and the headquarters for most of the major producers, but it is also a
pivotal location to bring the whole Central American and Caribbean industry together."

Exhibitor product groups and services offered include fibers and yarns; fabrics; nonwovens;
findings/trims; supplies; cutting and sewing equipment; textile machinery; computer
software/information technology; full package and private label contract manufacturing;
distributor/wholesaler; services and logistics; research and development; associations/academia;
and publications. Attendees are expected from end-user groups including apparel; home furnishings
and fashions; pet products; leather and footwear; automotive/transportation interiors; aerospace;
and government and military, among other groups.

Clarion Events is projecting more than 150 exhibitors and more than 3,000 attendees will
participate in its debut show.

"We are very excited about the response that we have been receiving to the launch of
ExpoProducción," Audrain said. "There is a strong desire for this event as a means to bring
together the apparel and sewn products industry in Mexico and Central America, and the timing right
now is very good, as there is strong growth in production for both the domestic markets and for the
markets in the USA."

Educational Program Concurrently with the exhibition, ExpoProducción will present a three-day, comprehensive
educational program. Sessions will be divided into topics including research and development, with
presentations on cutting and sewing and new applications for trim; production of high-value-added
products, with presentations on automotive textiles as well as military, protective and safety
apparel; and creating design and trademarks, with presentations on fashion design and compliance.

In addition, three educational sessions will be offered free of charge to attendees. Topics
will include international trade updates relating to Mexico and Central America, with presentations
on free trade agreements and tariffs as well as exporting and importing; a market update, with
presentations on technical textiles and sustainability in the apparel industry; and sourcing.

The complete supply chain for the production of apparel, home textiles and technical textiles —
including fabric sourcing — will be covered at ExpoProduccón.

Focus On Mexico The apparel manufacturing and technical textiles industries in Mexico are experiencing
remarkable growth brought about by increasing domestic demand and the shifting of production back
to the region, specifically by U.S. brands and retailers.

Mexico's textile and apparel industry comprises 11,600 apparel manufacturing plants; 1,100
plants that supply the automotive industry; and more than 200 companies — 80 percent of which are
manufacturing facilities — involved in the aerospace industry.

Mexico exports its apparel products to more than 60 countries. It is the fifth-largest
exporter of textiles and apparel to the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration's Office of Textiles and Apparel's Nov. 5, 2012, Major Shippers
Report; and notably, the second-largest supplier of wool suits and the third-largest supplier of
blue denim fabric. Mexico also is the fifth-largest exporter of boots and shoes and the
sixth-largest exporter of furniture globally.

Growing sectors of Mexico's textile and apparel industry include apparel, home textiles,
automotive, aerospace, and footwear and leather goods.

CANAINVE President Lic. Sergio López De La Cerda noted that it has been nine years since a
trade show focused solely on apparel has been held in Mexico. "We will again have in Mexico a show
that is dedicated especially for the apparel industry, where the best national and international
suppliers to the industry will offer products and services to our sector from machinery, trim and
technical and intelligent textiles," he said. "Today our industry is more alive than ever, and by
offering more value added goods, fashion and innovation, we can compete in a global market."

Han Bekke, secretary general of the Netherlands-based International Apparel Federation
(IAF), which supports and promotes apparel manufacturers globally, voiced support for
ExpoProducción: "The apparel supply chain is rapidly changing because of new techniques in
manufacturing and vending of apparel products. These developments may not be ignored if you want to
stay competitive. The ExpoProducción exhibition is offering you a perfect overview of state of the
art machines, software and services and participation is therefore highly recommended by the IAF."

For more information about ExpoProducción, visit www.expoproduccion.com.November/December 2012